HOPE and DETERMINATION
by PandaMan1234
Summary: Hi! My names Collin but... kinda busy trying to save the world with friendship and all that good cheesy stuff... I may not be very determined, but I sure as hell with wish the fudge out of this! *Rated T for swears and violence, mkay !
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Disturbance in DETERMINATION**

 _ **A/N: Howdy! It's me, Pandaman the panda! But really, this is teeeechnically a self insert but not because it's not really me. Confusing right? Well, I'm mostly posting this for stress relief, so I may or may not update often. ~Leave some reviews, make some theories, go ahead and even PM me for a friendly chat!**_

I really hate flowers. Seriously, even before I woke up in the middle of nowhere surrounded by said item, I truly hated flowers. I had severe allergies that, for whatever reason, spiked up ONLY around flowers. And so here I was, a teenager stranded in wherever I am, waking up to an unfamiliar sight, and my first thought is about how I hate flowers. I really REALLY hate them.

Enough about that and more the task at hand, I suppose. Sneezing violently, I detangled myself from the vines and petals adorning my body, and squinted around, looking for an exit. I spotted a low archway up ahead that was conveniently shrouded in darkness. Sighing deeply before brushing myself off, I crept cautiously towards to structure, sitting as if waiting for its' next passerby.

Sticking my head through, I caught the end of a conversation. "What a terrible creature to be harassing such a poor youth… even if she is a human." Even if she's a… human? Curiosity peaked, I slid into the room slowly, cautious of any potential noise I could make. "I am Toriel, caretaker of the ruins, if you would like, I can show you through." … Toriel? As is that goat lady in that undertale game half the internet won't shut up about? Welp, I was probably living/dreaming the fanbases… more desirable dream, but why me? I hadn't even really played the game myself.

Hearing a faint "Yeah." From whomever Toriel was speaking to, I snapped back to reality and waited another minute or two before the footsteps fully faded… and smacked my face straight into an invisible wall. Trying to backtrack out of the entrance ended up with the same result. I sighed before sitting, my back against the unseeable object. I had just realized I should most likely being freaking out but… I just lacked the effort… no, more so determination to care…

I sat there for a few minutes contemplating what the fuck just happened, when a voice called out to me.

"You… are an unforeseen variable. How did you get here?" It demanded, echoing slightly. Well now I was hearing voices in my head, great.

"What's it to you invisi-bro?" I said. Annoying people I secretly don't like with puns is truly hilarious, and I could already tell I wouldn't like this… disembodied voice thingy.

"How did you even get here? The prime barrier to the mountain peak can only be passed through with DETERMINATION, and as far as I can tell, you have none to spare." It questioned, raising and dropping in pitch. For whatever reason, it stressed the word 'determination' out far longer than was necessary.

"So you literally have to believe in yourself to make it to the top? If that ain't a cheesy line, I don't know what is." I said, adjusting my position on the floor.

"Despite that you are here… yes this could be interesting. Listen well eighth fallen child… somehow you have found yourself where you don't belong. Without DETERMINATION, you will be torn to shreds from anything… probably even a moldsmal." It paused, laughing at whatever self-reference it had made. I also didn't particularly like being called a kid. "So in turn… I grant you a gift. Use it wisely…" It drawled, and I fell flat on my back as the wall disappeared.

Standing up and dusting myself off, I waited a minute for his 'gift' to appear. When nothing happened, I looked forlornly at the passage ahead. "That girl and Toriel are probably so far ahead… I wish I could catch up." I complained.

" _Granted."_ A voice called out, and I was suddenly tangled in the top of a tree high above the ground. Below I saw the girl enter the room I was in, while Toriel walked out from the bunker-looking structure behind me. I should probably listen to what they are saying, but that teleportation stunt left me feeling more sick than that time I at rotten lobster on a roller coaster… and yes, at the same time.

"-Not a scratch! Impressive, but that was really careless of both of us…" Toriel said gently, smiling at the girl as she returned Toriel's with one of her own. "Mmmm, I shouldn't have tried to surprise you, here, come along to my house if you wish." Toriel extended her hand, and the girl took it graciously.

I watched as they went inside, and I went to work detangling my body from the dark branches of the gnarled tree. Hitting the ground with an undignified 'oomph', I straightened myself before creeping into the house. And wow, the interior was MUCH nicer than the rugged outside.

"Call me if you need anything during your stay~!" Toriel called, before she started coming down the hallway. I panicked, she would see me if I dashed for the entrance , so instead, I pushed up against the corner, half-wrapped in shadows, and prayed and hoped very hard I wouldn't get seen.

 _*Performing such a daunting task fills you with HOPE. HP restored._

I- what?

 _ **A/N" NYEH HEH HEH, behold a short intro chapter! Liek I say, i do it 4 fun n stuff. I may or mayer not expand dis, but if u liek leave review n stuff. Kbai!**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Cold and alone**

" _*Fills you with hope"_ The metallic words still vibrated in my eyes. What just happened? Time had seemed to slow down, and I noticed Toriel was almost upon me. The dappled shadows that had once had been sunken in the corner tamely now flared up widely, seemingly engulfing my body. I knew I was probably invisible, but OH DEAR GOD IT FELT SO WEIRD. I resisted the urge to both pass out and faint as the darkness seeped into me, whispering incoherent messages. Watching in near agony as Toriel seemed to go slow-mo, she finally rounded the corner, and I collapsed on the floor, as the dark tendrils retreated back to the corner.

Involuntarily wincing at the sound I made, I decided my best bet was the stairs, considering both options were unknowns anyway. I hit a stone floor once I reached the bottom a strong, bitter cold wind blowing through the area before dissipating at the stairs behind me. Clenching my teeth and ignoring the snapping frost, I pushed on and wove my way around the long corridor, reaching a large purple door after a few minutes of walking.

I looked straight up at the foreboding object, seemingly leaking the coldness that plagued the area. With a mighty shove, the door creaked open extremely loudly. There was no way Toriel and the girl DIDN'T hear that, so I got moving. Surprisingly, the next chamber over was mostly the same except for seemingly inexplicable cold.

I shivered slightly, before hearing faint voices back in the direction I came from. Not wanting to explain the situation yet, I increased my pace, walking down the long purple hallway. Once I had reached the end, an area much like the first greeted me; a dark chamber with a single patch of grass illuminated by a beam of light. I half expected something to jumpscare me as I made my way through the chamber. I was unimpeded, however, and I was able to make it to another purple door, equally as impressive as the last. The cold seeping through was much more strong, stinging my skin on contact as I pushed against the huge door open.

A snow forest greeted me as my eyes adjusted to the brightness. Despite there being no visible sun, the whole area was lit up as if it were daytime, the snow amplifying the effect. I just now noticed how hungry I am, my stomach growling in protest as I had ignored it the entire trip. Digging myself deeper into my flimsy hoodie, I set on the path as it started to lightly snow. My teeth were chattering by the time I reached an outpost (though that gate made me question the guard's capabilities) and I ducked gratefully inside the abandoned building.

For whatever reason, it was filled with assorted condiments and… hot dogs…? Well they looked like hot dogs, so I gave it a try. It definitely was NOT a hot dog, but I was really too hungry to care. I didn't even notice when I started drifting off to sleep. I woke up groggily later when I heard voice outside the shack.

"Quick, behind that very conveniently-shaped lamp!" I heard someone say. I peaked out from my own hiding spot to see the girl from before hiding behind said lamp, and a stubby skeleton also in a hoodie standing around with a wide grin on his face. Shortly after, a much taller skeleton appeared from the forest path, quite obviously annoyed at something.

"SANS! IT'S BEEN MANY DAYS AND YOU HAVE YET TO RECALIBRATE YOUR PUZZLES!" It exclaimed, tapping its foot disapprovingly. "WHAT ARE YOU EVEN DOING?"

"Checking out this lamp. Wanna look? I can give you a hot dog while we're at it." Sans replied, grin never breaking.

"HOW WOULD THAT HELP AT ALL!? WHAT IF… A HUMAN COMES THROUGH! I MUST BE READY TO CATCH THEM!" The tall one replied.

"Sounds like you're working yourself… down to the bone. Perhaps if I wasn't such a bonehead, you would probably be getting a skele-ton of work done right now." Sans said.

"SANS!" The other said.

"Come on Papyrus, you're smiling!" Sans said, grin growing even wider.

"I AM AND I HATE IT!" Papyrus said. "WHATEVER, I'M GOING TO RESET MY PUZZLES. AS FOR YOU… PUT A LITTLE MORE 'BACKBONE' INTO YOUR WORK! NYEH HEH HEH!."

"Okay, kid." Sans called out. "You can come out now. Better get going before he comes back… or you'll have to listen to more of my hilarious puns."

The girl nodded and started to walk away before Sans called out to her "Actually, do you mind if you do me a favor? Seeing a human will make Papyrus' day. He's not dangerous, even if he tries to be."

She smiled and nodded once more, and continued on her path. I ducked as Sans glanced over to my spot, and I could almost FEEL his eyes boring through the wood structure.

"Ya know, whoever you are, it's rude to listen in on conversations." Sans said, snow crunching as he made his way over to the stand. I started to panic, I couldn't be seen yet… it would ruin my element of surprise. Resigning myself to what I was about to do, I took a deep breath before melting into the shadows formed by counter. Ignoring the sickly feeling worming its' way around my body, I concentrated on Sans. He had rounded the corner, his smile wavering for only a moment.

"Huh. Coulda sworn there was someone here." He said, reaching for a bottle of ketchup… directly behind my head. I sat, deathly still as his hand phased through me and pulled out one he had his prize. Bringing it up to his mouth, he began to drink it and walked away. Waiting a good extra minute or two, once I was sure he was gone, I collapsed onto the wooden floor, sweat pouring down my face as I gasped for air. This time it felt like I was being burned with ice with my insides exploded and splattered acid all over my body. Dragging myself shakily to my feet, I shook off the light layer of snow that had coated me, and proceeded into the forest. It was really amusing watching the girl and Papyrus interact as they went through silly puzzles that really didn't pose an actual threat. Sans occasionally looked around, as if aware of my presence, and I made sure to make this a one-way view. Once they had reached Snowdin, the girl was enjoying herself more than being threatened by the puzzles. After the trio had passed, I noticed a bright yellow star-like object just sitting outside the inn and shop. Curiosity peaked, I went over and touched it lightly.

 _*Seeing such a friendly interaction fills you with HOPE. HP restored._

Shaking my head, I had yet to have been really noticed yet, so I decided to explore the town for a little before finding the girl again. After all, Papyrus probably had more puzzles to show her before they went anywhere.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Frisky**

I wandered around the town for a bit, making idle chat with some of the residents. Oddly enough, a rock family took notice I wasn't really wearing full winter gear, and recommended I stop by the local shop and inn to get some rest before I left. I never really felt the cold beyond mild discomfort, by what my mind was telling me was much different from the state my body was in. It was nearly red all over, snowflakes and a slight wind continuing to buffet it as I decided to seek shelter.

Ducking into the inn, I opted to wipe off my shoes on the mat before continuing in. I was greeted by a bunny duo, one who was tall and purple and looked to be a female, and another who was stout and white whom I honestly couldn't discern the gender to.

"Welcome!" the taller one said cheerfully. "One night is just 80g."

Realizing services in monsterland probably weren't free either, I coughed into my fist before adopting an embarrassed look.

"I uh, don't have any money. I just came in here to warm up, if you don't mind." I said sheepishly.

"Oh you poor thing!" She gushed, fully taking notice of my damaged persona. "It's not everyday we get travelers, and you seem to have been lightly prepared for Snowdin!"

I could tell it was meant as a light joke more than anything else, and smiled. "No problem, I can just go once I get warmed up."

"Oh, you can stay one night for free if you want!" She replied.

After graciously accepting the woman's offer, I went upstairs and climbed into bed. I awoke sometime later feeling very fresh, stretching before heading back down, the lady looked surprised to see me.

"You look like you had a great rest! Which is surprising, you were only up there for five minutes." She said, chuckling softly. "Well, I won't keep you. Go see my husband next door if you need any supplies! Tell him I sent you, and he'll give you a freebie."

After picking up a complimentary 'cinnamon bunny', I decided to try out the "super fast snow travel" tunnel. Darkness, some slipping, and some nausea later, I found myself on the other side of town. I perked up as I heard the distinct voice of Papyrus in the distance. Shaking off the sickness, I traversed my way through a heavyset layer of mist before reaching a clearing; to see the Girl and Papyrus currently engaged in combat.

Papyrus looked like he really didn't want to hurt her, but she still was adorned with an assortment of bruises and small cuts.

"YOU ARE DETERMINED, HUMAN. WELL… PREPARE YOURSELF FOR THIS TOTALLY REGULAR ATTACK!" He declared, launching a barrage of bones.

She was able to dodge the first set, a blue heart out in front of her obviously pulling her down with gravity. I paled as I saw a massive wall of bones accompanied by the single largest bone I have ever seen, towering above most of the buildings back in town. The girl paused, knowing she wouldn't be able to make the jump, but gave it her best shot anyway.

I wanted to help so badly… but how? I closed my eyes. The voice had given me a gift… well it was time to use it. Thrusting my hand out and feeling like a total dork, I concentrated on helping her over the bone wall. Despite thinking I was a fool for just wishing something would happen, I clung on to my hope. Her heart flickered, before being covered in swirling gray runes, the blue underneath still visible. My jaw nearly dropped as she literally jumped… and kept going up.

She looked shocked, and noticed the change to her heart color, while Papyrus more or less was distracted trying to retrieve a bone from a dog. I felt some energy pouring out from my body, turning my limbs to lead. She had just hurdled over the last bone, when I simply threw myself against the ground and muttered "Done."

I had no idea what just happened, but I was glad it turned out well. I was about to leave, as the mist was starting to clear and I still had no intention of being seen yet, when the chubby skeleton from earlier who was introduced as 'Sans' literally appeared behind me.

"Heya." He said, grin still present.

I did a double take before simply saying "What?"

"I know some shortcuts to get here." He said, winking. "Anyways, you're another human, right? That's hilarious! I'm Sans… but you probably already knew that from earlier."

The way he added in the last part made me hesitate, and I could've sworn his eye was covered in flames for a minute before I replied.

"I don't think we have. I remember anyone I have a bone to pick with." I said, knowing he had an innate like of puns.

"That was awful… I love it." He said, grin still present. "Invisibility is pretty cool though. Can all humans do it?"

"Do you have to be any more blatant?" I deadpanned, trying to figure out what he was playing at.

"Also haven't seen anyone use a gray heart since…" the two lights that served as his eyes disappeared, leaving them as empty sockets. "...him." He simply finished, before reverting back to his old attitude a moment later. "Thought I would invite you to our house. Paps and Frisk are going over there for a date."

"I don't know if I- wait what? A skeleton and a human are… nevermind." I said, rubbing my head gently. "I honestly have nothing better to do. My goal was to help out WITHOUT being seen though."

"Don't worry pal, they won't even know we were there!" Sans grinned.

After taking a 'shortcut' we somehow ended up a very nice looking house.

"This is yours?" I asked, disbelief on my voice.

"What, think I'm always a lazy bones? Tiba honest, me and Paps work pretty hard." Sans replied, digging in his pocket for the key.

Deciding I didn't want to make him mad (I was going into his house, after all) I didn't say anything and instead focused on a very interesting icicle. Once inside, I took stock of the house. The interior at least looked like something owned by two brothers; the furniture worn but not garbage, Random articles of clothing strewn about, and that overall feel of home.

Frisk (seriously, what's with the names?) and Papyrus were in the kitchen, trying to apprehend the same dog from earlier, still clutching the bone in its' mouth. Deciding to slip past while they were distracted, Sans noticed this and his eyes flashed with a mischievous glint.

Catching sight of Sans, I uttered a low growl. "Don't even think about-"

"YO PAPS! I'M HOME AND I BROUGHT A GUEST." Sans loudly interrupted me.

I gave him a death stare before dashing up the stairs, in time to see the duo come out of the kitchen, thoroughly confused on what was going on.

Running to the farthest door on the left, I opened it and ducked inside, slamming it shut behind me and slumping up against it.

"C'mon, pal. I just want to introduce you. Plus, that's kinda my room you're in right now." Sans said, his voice distorted by the thick wood of the door. He had been trying to convince me to come out for a while, while Frisk and Papyrus giggled at our pointless banter.

"Can I try?" At first, I didn't recognize the voice that said this, as it was oddly feminine. But using basic process of elimination, I assumed it to be Frisk. It was odd, she didn't seem to talk much around newer people, yet radiated peace that made YOU want to be her friend anyway. Still sitting silent as I heard the footsteps of Sans and Papyrus grow softer, I held my breath as I waited for her to say something.

"May I come in?" The question caught me off guard; I had spent the better half of an hour saying explicitly that I DON'T want to see them yet.

"No." I replied simply.

She was silent for a minute before speaking again. "Why not?" She said. Most people would've taken that as whining… but the way she said it convinced me otherwise.

"I can't tell you." I replied.

"But how will I know what to do so we can be friends?" She answered back.

"That's so… naive. But heartwarming at the same time." I said. Was she really serious? She didn't even know me, and yet she wanted to by my friend already?

"So…" she began. "Are you a human?"


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Negative Zone**

 _ **A/N: This is a shorter chapter. Hope you enjoy, and remember to leave feedback, even if it isn't positive.**_

"Say again?" I said, not wanting to believe what she just said.

"Um…" she started, much more nervous having to repeat the question. "Are you a human like me?"

I was silent for a moment. "Sans?" I questioned.

"Uh… yeah." She said sheepishly.

Sighing deeply, I rose to my feet. Wanting to make a decent… seconds impression, I called out to the shadows, whom seemed extremely eager to bond with me once more. Opening the door, I stared directly into her eyes.

"I challenge you to a duel." I said.

"Wh- what?" She responded, obviously against the idea.

"Prove to me you have the will to survive." I announced, as her gaze shifted away from mine.

She nodded slightly, and time seemed to slow as all the surrounding area disappeared and was replaced by me and Frisk in a black and white color scheme. Wondering why this didn't happen with Papyrus, my thoughts were cut short as as heart appeared once more, fully red and primed with energy. I had one appear at my side, albeit at a lead gray color.

"You get the first move." I said, 99% sure she didn't really plan on attacking.

While she was moving though, a shimmering list of… boxes appeared. I did a double take as she literally sat there, and an indicator moved to MERCY then SPARE. Wondering if I was already going insane, I realized I didn't really have an attack. I decided just to lob a ball of some of the shadows I had collected, after all they weren't that dangerous, just anti-light. What I didn't expect was for it to grow four times larger and nearly engulf her as it moved past, the heart indicator on the mystical box barely scraping by. Not wanting to actually hurt her, I resorted to mostly much smaller attacks, which despite growing in size, she dodged with ease. I was about to call it quits when I heard a piercing voice. Why was I doing this in the first place? I just had a… feeling I had to fight her, but for what purpose?

" _Foolish."_ It tsked, as my limbs slowly turned to pudding as I felt myself losing my grip on reality itself. " _I give you the tools you need, and you waste them."_

Unable to summon my voice, time seemed to slow as Frisk, who thought it was over, was slowly making her way towards me, the sound of her footsteps stretching and echoing. I wanted to scream, tell her to run, but the best I could manage was a soft gurgle. I panicked even more when I saw my body gathering darkness for an attack. Me/it threw the ball, covering nearly the entire hallway as it spiraled towards her. In a last ditch attempt, I called out for help… but nobody came. Her eyes visibly widened at the massive conglomerate of darkness.

" _Give up already."_ The voice said, bored. " _This was my price for powers… after this I'll leave you to do anything your heart desires."_

"I. Am. Not. A. MURDERER!" I said, vocal cords tearing as I released all my power at once, hoping to nullify the shadow ball. Instead, the black and white color scheme flipped, and parts of the area around me distorted as the weapon made contact with her. Instead of finding her soul fragments blown across the room, he HP actually went UP as the attack phased through her, and started to slowly lose HP once she was in the open. Blinking in surprise, she opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Releasing my grip on whatever dark energy had been flowing through me, the room faded back into color, signaling the end of battle.

" _Interesting…"_ It drawled as I collapsed to the floor. " _So you choose not to be a 'murderer'. Will you then choose the path of a sage? Or… will you simply find an immovable obstacle you have to get rid of by force? Only time will tell child… but know you are not the only being in this world with the power to play god."_

"What are you even talking about?" I spat, attempting to pull myself up.

" _You don't remember…? How delicious. Let's see your attitude when you realize your own true nature."_

And the world went dark.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Dr. Wing Dings.**

I felt many things at once, most of them involved agonizing pain. My body felt it was exploding and imploding while being plunged into icy fire and torn to shreds, atom by atom. But as much as I struggled, my efforts were met with nothing but darkness and more pain. It felt like hours had gone by, and I didn't even realize my eyes were open until small flash of light appeared in front of me. Stumbling towards it, the close I got the farther it seemed to retreat, taunting me with the sweet relief of light in this desolate land of darkness.

Is this… purgatory? Did I die and was awaiting judgment before whatever being or force that had brought us into existence?

" _I'd like to think of it more as our own little personal hell."_ The voice rang out. There was something off about the way he spoke, but I couldn't exactly place my finger on it. I focused on redoubling my efforts to get to the light, muscles complaining as I was already worn out from the battler earlier.

" _Speechless? Who can blame you… after all I'm surprised your mind hasn't shattered from this prolonged contact with the void. What is it that you are running towards, friends? Family? Death? It matters not. Either way you won't find anything you like at the end."_ It said, as I frowned once more at the peculiar speech pattern and continued trudging through the darkness. The realization that he wasn't speaking English hit me, but I couldn't identify what he WAS speaking despite knowing it. Every time I came close, the thought vanished from my mind and I was forced to restart.

That's when it appeared. At first, it was little more than two oblong shapes, one awkwardly attached to the other, bobbing up and down in a rhythmic pattern. As I got closer, it's features (if you could call them that) came into view. Akin to battle, he appeared in only white and black, the top ovalish section being white covered in black shapes, while the freeform midsection was black, almost blending into the foreground if not for the white line surrounding it. As I drew closer to the monstrosity, I felt my chest contract and my body grow cold, every step becoming more difficult. To top it off, the absolute darkness somehow grew even darker. Dark, darker, yet darker… it was not long before I found myself but a few inches away, the creature looming a few inches above me as it's unwavering smile greeted me. I noticed how similar he was to Sans, taking on the appearance of a skeletal creature compared to a fleshy one.

One eye socket was nearly closed, a deep jagged crack running upwards from the middle of the broken eye up and around the top of it's head. The other was open halfway, a smaller crack running from the leftish side down. A blue spark erupted in the less damaged eye, sputtering and reforming into a magical eyeball. Despite the raw fear I felt, I couldn't help but find solace in the simple nature of a vibrant color, taking in each and every single light particle that graced my mind.

It spoke. I didn't see it's mouth move, but I had the gut feeling that this was the creature behind the voice…

" _I am Dr. W.D. Gaster. Designer of the core, and sole inhabitant of the void… until now. I honestly think you would rather spend eternity here than see what awaits you in life…"_ He/it said, each word pulsating in my mind. " _If you do choose to return to life… know you only hasten my plans and your own demise."_

Brushing past Gaster, I continued on, ignoring his soft demented laughing as I found myself before a massive door not unlike the one in the RUINS. I pushed, but it refused to budge. I found myself spending the better half an hour of pushing and shoving on the door with little success, but I didn't lose hope. I stood for what felt decades relentlessly attempting to open the door, aware but uncaring Gaster was watching intently.

" _It's funny, really, how similar hope and determination is… but which one is stronger? Yet another benefit I get to test, all thanks to your pointless ignorance."_ Gaster drawled.

Why does he keep mentioning hope and determination? It's just baseline feelings that drive humans forwards. True, even my parents accentuated my over-reliance on wishing for things (like snow days) to come true, but I never let it bother me. "I wish this door would open." I stood for a minute, resisting the urge to turn around and face Gaster's undoubtedly scornful expression.

To my surprise, the door actually creeped open, the other side invisible due to a great beam of pure white light filtering through, and somehow not blinding me.

" _Once you leave the void, you won't be coming back on neutral terms again."_ Gaster warned, a mix of both curiosity and a health dose of teacherly scolding.

"Then I'll see you around, friend." I said, smiling as I stepped through the door… and regretted it.

Dust and blood. So much dust and blood… I couldn't even walk two feet with disturbing differently shaped piles of dust, and smearing blood across my shoes while I was doing it. The worst part was that there wasn't even sound beyond a hideous laughter, one that burrowed into my ears and made my headache with each consecutive chord struck. I closed my eyes, and suddenly I was in a long hallway, small amounts of light filtering through the windows.

I saw Sans tossing someone around like a ragdoll without even touching them, slamming them into the rows of pillars and sending waves of bones and blasts from strange skull devices. The weirdest part was that his victim would shrug it off, getting up after each blow and laugh the same laugh that tormented me only a minute past. I ran towards the site, trying to call out, get them to stop, but my voice stuck in my throat.

Then he fell. Sans took a deep slash, cutting him diagonally from the top to the bottom of his torso. Red liquid splattered out, staining the tiles beneath him as his attacker stood above him, grinning widely. They looked up and seemed shock to see me, and I squinted. Why did they look so familiar? They rushed me, blood-stained knife still in hand as I had no time to comprehend I was under attack. Throwing myself to the right, I was able to barely dodge the first swipe, the knife causing a blood red trail to follow behind it. I lost control of my body as I heard Gaster's voice.

" _Tsk, you've seen enough, I think it's high time you wake up."_ I- no, Gaster summoned skull devices similar to the ones used by Sans, ten, to be precise. They proceeded to catch the attacker off guard, an angry scream rising as the energy slowly disintegrated them. What scared me the most was the final realization that this was Frisk, her eyes a scarlet red and scowl of pure hatred written on her face.

And the world went dark once more.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6:**

I woke up not to frantic voice like I expected, but instead I was greeted with a horrendous smell.

"OH DEAR GOD! WHAT IS THAT?!" I screeched, bolting upright as my nose auto-crinkled in disgust.

I was greeted by the amused faces of non-murderous Frisk and Sans, sitting on the couch next to me. Sans was currently dangling a sock that looked none too fresh directly above my nose.

"You okay there buddy?" Sans asked, and I could swear something flickered across his face when I blinked. "You're looking pretty boned there…"

Was that supposed to be a pun because I wasn't a- oh. The visage of my stark white skin stared back at me eerily, giving it the impression of bones expect for the fact my skin still was in place.

"Kid?" Sans asked again, smile wavering only slightly as I didn't give a response.

"I'm fine." I said, trying my best to keep my voice steady as I stood up and stretched. "I don't know about you, but I'm famished."

Papyrus' voice suddenly came out of nowhere identifiable. "DID SOMEBODY SAY THERE WERE HUNGRY!?" And I saw him slide across the carpet at the top of the stairs, striking a heroic pose. "THEN HUNGER NO MORE DEAR FRIEND! I, THE GREAT AND COOL PAPYRUS WILL MAKE YOU THE FINEST DISH OF PASTA!"

I grinned, in a slightly better mood now. "Is he always that… flamboyant?" I questioned.

"Trust me, he's pretty dang dedicated to what he does. He even picks up the phone at any time on the second. And when I mean anytime, I mean ANYTIME." Sans said, trailing Papyrus as he rushed into the kitchen. "It's great to have him as a brother."

The comment was innocent enough, but it sparked an image of Papyrus' head sliding off his body, a figure standing in the snow in front of him, stained with dust. They watched as the rest of his body disintegrated, before finally moving on, taking no heed to whatever Papyrus had tried to tell them in his last few moments.

"...Yeah he's pretty cool." I said, having been zoned out to whatever Sans had said previously. The answer seemed to satisfy him anyway.

Frisk tugged at the sleeve of my shirt, and was obviously nervous. "What's up? If you're worried about me, I'll be fine. Probably caught a cold, never have been a fan of snow anyway."

Realizing that questioned my very reason for being in Snowdin, I sighed inwardly as she seemed to pass it off.

"Did you… um… want to go with me?" She asked quietly, almost inaudibly due to the racket Papyrus was making in the kitchen.

"I'm assuming you're making for the exit?" I asked, and received a rapid burst of nods in response. "Guess it wouldn't hurt to. But first… I was serious about being famished. I really need to eat something."

She laughed softly in response.

oo0OO0oo

After a… questionably healthy meal of spaghetti, complementary of Papyrus, Frisk wanted to stop by the shop one more time. Both to say hello to the owner, and to pick up a few items. I browsed while she chatted, and I didn't exactly want to know on how she planned on storing the cinnamon bunnies.

" _Pathetic. You've seen her murder countless innocents, and you… befriend her?"_ Gaster's voice cut in, interrupting my one moment of peace.

"Why don't you go take over HER body like you did mine, then? Or are you SCARED?" I hissed back, hoping no one heard me.

" _She already has another force influencing her… even two perhaps. Even if there wasn't, I couldn't. You however were perfect, as you had already entered the void once somehow when you fell."_

"So you decided to INVADE MY MIND, even though she hasn't harmed anything her entire time here!" I rebutted, my voice slowly rising.

" _Foolish. The visions I showed you were not fabrications, but other timelines. Windows into the events of, and the answer to 'what if'."_ Gaster said drearily.

"Not my problem." I growled. "Go find someone else to bother."

I felt him withdraw. He wasn't gone, but atleast he wasn't prattling away about how she was evil in another world. So? The same could be said for anyone, couldn't it? There might've been a world where Hitler was the world leader of peace, but that doesn't mean it should change how we view him here.

I felt a tug, and Frisk gave me a lopsided smile. "I got everything we need…" she said, checking a list. "I suppose it's time we headed to waterfall…"

oo0OO0oo

My pale predicament had started to worry me. Even after spending an hour in a heated shop, and crossing into the temperate climate of 'waterfall' I still looked like a fleshy ghost. We had actually spent about an hour or two messing with the echo flower, as it was pretty fun to use. When we finally moved on, we spotted Sans in what looked like the same station from earlier, complete with snow on top. I quirked my eyebrows at this. "How does snow even form- you know what? Nevermind. It's probably sentient and will be insulted or something if I keep talking."

Frisk laughed back, and waved to Sans, who took notice of us and waved back.

"Heya." he greeted, looking me over. "What, you haven't seen a guy with two jobs before?"

"Oh yes, double the nothing must be so stressful." I deadpanned.

"Well, two jobs also mean double the legally required breaks. I'm thinking of heading to Grillby's. Wanna come?" He asked.

I was about to say I had just eaten, but realized our time in the shop and messing with the flower passed time quicker than I thought, my stomach growled for me instead.

"I'm taking that as a yes. C'mon, I know a shortcut." He said, stepping around his post and winking.

I didn't exactly find the prospect of using enticing, but the same could be said for trudging back through the heavy snow. I begrudgingly took hands with Sans and Frisk, and in the next moment we were at the doorway to Grillby's, the heat radiating fiercely despite the heavy oak door.

I took a deep breath, and followed in after Sans and Frisk.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 17:**

I'm not exactly known for my extreme resistance to temperature fluctuations, especially when it goes from cold to hot. I had once went back in my house after playing through the snow for about an hour, and despite the house being on minimum heat to conserve money, I was sweating not even a minute later. My parents poked me at me for this, saying I would catch a cold if I removed the jacket I was wearing. The worst part is, they were probably right. So knowing this and stepping into a bar filled with people and a literal entity of fire in a suit, I was ready to get a heatstroke. I oddly felt nothing. I mean, I wasn't really cold, but I didn't exactly feel the heat despite it prodding me through the door a little bit ago. Dismissing it as mostly shock from seeing a squad of dogs inhabit the majority of the establishment, I worked my way after Sans, who was currently heading in a beeline for the stools closest to the fire monster.

"Hey Sans!" A porky looking monster called out. "You're late today, buddy!"

Sans grinned, and I could feel the terrible puns coming before he even said them.

"Sorry pal, I donut knowed how that happened. Just couldn't get out of bed even if I fried. I'm pretty hungry too, so don't let me near you unless you want a pizza your food gone." Sans replied, shrugging nonchalantly as the restaurant bursted into laughter. He sat down with Frisk, and glanced over at me. "Plenty of room over here, amigo. Don't be shy!"

I realized I actually HAD been moving pretty slow, and increased my pace. I was about to sit down, but first instinctively looked down, spotting a well-placed whoopie cushion. I raised my eyebrow at Sans, who simply shrugged once more.

"Better watch out, sometimes real weirdos put whoopie cushions on em'."

I sighed, before moving the prank device and taking a seat next to him.

"So, whadda guys want?" He asked, sliding menus over to both of us.

Frisk paused before pointing at the top item on the menu.

"That sounds pretty good." Sans commented, before turning to me. "What about you pardner?"

I blew out a puff of breath indecisively "Whatever you guys are having."

"Hey Grillby, can we get a triple order of 'burg out here?" He called.

The flame monster from before gave a nod before going through a door in the back.

"So." Sans began, his attention focused more on Frisk than on me. "There's been… something odd I've been struggling to figure out. Well, I guess not so much 'figure out' as remember stuff I already know."

Something was wrong. This wasn't how this conversation went in the game, I was 60% sure of that. And it had nothing to do with me, he was obviously directing it towards Frisk, who had began to shift around in her seat.

"Be honest with me here, kid, promise I won't judge you. ...Did you hurt them, kid? My family, my friends, everyone… did you kill us all last time?" He said, his voice deathly quiet.

I stiffened, atmosphere tense enough to cut with a knife.

And then… the world went dark.

I woke up in the void, already standing as the endless nothingness stretched out around me.

"What did you do, Gaster!?" I hissed, storming in a random direction, not caring what happened. "You can't just pull me out of situations like that when-"

" _I didn't do this."_ Gaster called out, materializing in front of me somehow managing to look even more gaunt than normal. " _Your 'friend' is loading a save in an attempt to the dodge the question. It won't matter. Sans will remember what happened anyway, she is simply giving him MORE of a reason to distrust her."_ His grim frown turned into a smile. " _She thinks she can atone for what happened last time… but there is no mercy. Resets do not erase what you have done, they only blot of the memories of it."_

"What are you prattling on about now?" I said, my resolve waning as I connected the dots.

" _I don't think you even need my explanation now, you are very close to figuring it out yourself. Ta ta my little anomaly~"_ He chirped, before my vision started to blur, and the world went dark.

I was standing just inside the entrance to waterfall, in the same position I was before we met Sans at his post up ahead. I blinked, and realized Frisk was gauging my reaction. I wanted to tell her I knew but… something told me that wouldn't be a good idea. Instead I put on a smile and gave a small laugh.

"Talk about Deja-vu, why does it feel like I've been here before?" I said, hoping it was enough to appease her. After a minute of deathly silence, I received my response.

"Dunno why, I'm pretty sure I haven't. We didn't have anything like this back home." She said joyfully, 'marveling' at the scenery around us. I suddenly felt much less secure, watching her go through the same steps she performed the first time, but taking active care to avoid the post Sans would be at.

How much more was she hiding?


End file.
